Andy’s surprise forward move started his success
It’s not unheard of for a player to change position during his career.
Scotland’s Callum Paterson started out in international football as a full-back, but is now mostly used as a striker.
Andy Rolland moved more than most – and played at both ends of the field during one unusual match.
That evening set him up for the move that saw him become a legend at Dundee United.
He scored his first goal for the Tangerines on October 28, 1967 – a 30-yard screamer in a 2-1 win over Falkirk at Brockville.
It came on the same day that rivals Dundee were being beaten 5-3 by Celtic in the League Cup Final.
Andy might have been on the books of the Parkhead club if things had gone differently.
He recalled: “I was with Cowdenbeath when there was a charity game to raise funds for the Michael Colliery Disaster appeal.
“A Fife Select took on Sunderland.
“I was playing on the left of the defence, with Ian Porterfield in front of me and Gordon Wallace ahead of him.
“At half-time, it was announced that Dennis Jack, who played left-back for Cowdenbeath, was coming on.
“I started taking my boots off and the manager, George Farm, asked what I was doing.
“He told me I was being pushed up front and Jim Murphy of Raith Rovers was being replaced.
“I have to admit I swore, and told him I
couldn’t play up there. He said to do as I was told, and leave the swearing to him!
“Well, I hit the crossbar and then scored from 25 yards as we won the game 4-2.
“Two days later, I played for Cowdenbeath and didn’t have a great game.
“But Dundee United manager, Jerry Kerr, had put a bid in for me.
“My boss, Archie Robertson, said I should stay and keep playing because another club had made an inquiry. He wouldn’t tell me who the club was, so I signed for Dundee United.
“I didn’t want to risk playing, breaking my leg and missing out on a big move. He then told me it was Celtic asking about me. Nothing might have come of it, but I did wonder.”
Andy was only 24 at the time but it wasn’t the first time his career had taken an unexpected twist.
He played a few games for Cowdenbeath as a teenager, but didn’t seem to have a future with the club.
During a spell staying with family in England, he played under an assumed name for Crewe Alexandra reserves.
He explained: “Crewe manager, Jimmy Mcguigan, knocked on my mother’s door and said I’d been recommended as a possible signing.
“I did well, and players were saying I’d soon be in the first-team. But my registration was with junior team, Dundonald Bluebell, and I had to stay with them for a year.”
A return to Scotland saw Andy given a second chance with Cowdenbeath.
His time with Dundee United led to him starting further up the pitch.
Andy said: “In 1968, we lost 6-5 to Hearts in a classic Scottish Cup cup tie. Ian Mitchell and I were running riot up front, but Finn Seeman missed a penalty for us.
“Tommy Millar broke his leg, and that led to me going to left-back, and then right-back.”
It was as a right-back where Andy made most of this 440 appearances for United, and was capped by the Scottish League.
He was famously swapped for George Best when he went from Fort Lauderdale Strikers to Los Angeles Aztecs in the summer of 1978.
He also played for Dunfermline and was player-manager at Cowdenbeath.
Now 77, he’s still a keen golfer, and works as a security officer at a distillery.